Stop-motion actuating mechanism



Nov. 5, 1929. w. M. KIDDER 1,734,492

STOP MOTION ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1927 avwemto'c mm. 4' fitter/mar l 6&4, QWM

Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES .WALTER M. KIDDER, OF SOUTH ,HARPSWELL, MAINE STOP-MOTION ACTUATING MECHANISM Application filed January 29, 1927. Serial No. 164,447.

The invention is useful in connection with various machines in which yarns, thread, etc, are drawn along, such as twisting frames and winding machines, where it is desired to stop the travel of the thread when knots, slubs or other similar imperfections appear therein. Stop motions have been used in connection with machines of the above nature which were held in inoperative position by the tension upon the traveling thread and which therefore were actuated to stop the thread travel only in case of a break in the thread.

The present invention aims to provide a mechanism by which such a stop motion will 1 be actuated upon the occurrence of a thread imperfection without being dependent upon thread breaks; in fact in the preferred form of the invention, breaks in the thread are largely avoided.

i0 Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically pointed out in the description hereinafter contained which, taken in,con junction with the accompanying drawings,

discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. Such embodiment, however, should be considered as merely illustrative of its'princiles. In the drawings- The single figure is an end elevation of a stop motion actuating mechanism construct ed to operate in accordance with the invention.

The invention is disclosed as applied to a stop motion 1, the internal construction of which is not essential to the present invention and therefore need not be described in,

detail, it being understood that a stop motion as in present day use may be employed, which is normally held in inoperative position by he tension upon one or more threads 2 passing through a pig-tail pin 3 or similar device associated with the stop motion. Stop motions of the above type as at present used, usually have several threads led therethrough, each thread passing through a separate pig-tail pin, with the result that the stop motion will be moved to operative position when one or more of the threads is broken. 57 The illustrated apparatus is particularly useful in connection with the operation of leading yarn from bobbins 4 rotatably mounted upon pins 5 carried by a creel bracket denoted generally by numeral 6, which need not be described in detail. Yarns of the above nature are fed from the bobbins 4 and to a twisting frame.

In accordance with the present invention the yarn strands or threads are led through a knot catcher which detects knots, slubs or so other imperfections therein, and the stop motion is actuated upon the travel to the knot catcher of any imperfection in the one or more threads passing therethrough. As shown, the knot catcher comprises a base bar 7 having a gage passageway 8 therein, through which the yarn strands or thread pass, such passageway in the present instance being bounded by two opposed walls 9 and 10, whereby imperfections of the above 170 described nature in the strands will engage with the walls of the passageway. When this happens the knot catcher is actuated and in its broadest aspect the invention is .not limited to any particular means or mecha- 6 nism for so actuating the stop motion. In the illustrated form of the invention, however, the knot catcher is mounted to move along with any strand and imperfection which engages the walls of. passageway 8, andthe resulting motion of the knot catcher is mechanically transmitted to the stop motion to actuate the latter. As shown, the knot catcher is tiltable about a bearing pin 11, which engages in a supporting member 12, the knot catcher being preferably balanced by a counterweight 13. A link member 14 extends between the knot catcher and the stop motion and thus whenever the knot catcher tilts downwardly under the drag of an imperfection in any of the strands or threads passing therethrough, the stop motion 1 will be moved downwardly into operative position. Each thread preferably passes from the knot or slub catcher to a separate 7 pig-tail pin?) (located directly behind the member 3 of the drawings) whereby the stop motionalso willbe actuated upon the occurrence of a break inone or more of the threads,

as well as on the occurrence of an imperfection in any of the threads.

A mechanism of the above nature therefore stops the travel of the yarn or thread upon the occurrence of imperfections in any of the strands passing through the knot catcher, without necessitating breaks in the threads passing through the knot catcher, although as in the illustrated torm' of the invention the stop motion may be arranged to move to operative position in case breaks should occur in any of the strands. Under usual conditions the actuation of the stop motion will not cause any breaks in perfect threads passing tirough the knot catcher, although the thread having an imperfection which actuates the knot catcher oftentimes will not be broken unless the operator sees fit to do so after inspection. The invention therefore permits the automatic detection of thread imperfections as above mentioned while reducing unnecessary breaks in the threads to a minimum.

Vhile the specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be obvious that many changes may be made therein without departing from its essentials as defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a stop motion for a machine in which thread is fed along, which stop motion is normally held in inoperative position by the tension of the traveling thread, a movably mounted knot catcher located in the path of thread travel, and means connecting the knot catcher to the stop motion for actuating said stop motion upon movement of the knot catcher.

2. In combination, a stop motion for a machine in which thread is fed along, which stop motion is normally held in inoperative position by the tension of the traveling thread, a knot catcher located in the path of thread travel, said knot catcher being mounted to move along with the thread upon the engagement of a thread imperfection therewith, and means actuated by the aforesaid motion of said knot catcher for actuating said stop motion.

3. In combination, a stop motion for a machine in which thread is fed along, which stop motion is normally held in inoperative 7 position by the tension of the traveling thread, a knot catcher located in the path of thread travel, said knot catcher being mounted to move along with the thread upon the engagement of a thread imperfection therewith and a link connection between said knot catcher and stop motion whereby the aforesaid movement of the knot catcher will cause said stop motion to be actuated.

4. In combination, a stop motion for a machine in which thread is fed along, which stop motion is normally held in inoperative position by the tension of the traveling thread,

January, 1927.

-WALTER M. KIDDER. 

